More than 94% of delegates approved the Resolution on supplementing the medium-term public investment plan with central budget capital for the period 2021 – 2025, supplementing the medium-term public investment plan for Vietnam Electricity Group. (EVN).
The National Assembly approved the allocation of capital of more than 2,500 billion VND for EVN to extend the national grid to Con Dao (Ba Ria – Vung Tau)
According to the Resolution of the National Assembly, VND 2,526 billion is taken from the central budget reserve of the Medium-term Public Investment Plan 2021-2025, accounting for about 60% of the total investment capital of this project. The remaining resources of the project to bring electricity to Con Dao come from EVN’s own capital, equivalent to more than 2,420 billion VND.
Previously, on January 16, the National Assembly Standing Committee commented on the National Assembly’s opinion on allocating capital to EVN to extend the power grid to Con Dao. According to the Government, in Decision No. 708/QD-TTg dated June 16, 2023 on approving project investment policies, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to be the agency to decide on project investment, and EVN to be the agency to decide on project investment. investor.
The total investment of the Project is 4,950.156 billion VND, of which EVN’s own capital is about 2,423.996 billion VND, central budget capital is 2,526.16 billion VND. The investment in the Project is with the goal of providing stable and safe electricity to the power grid on the island, meeting the socio-economic development tasks of Con Dao district, contributing to ensuring national defense and security and ensuring national defense and security. National maritime sovereignty is necessary.
Regarding the capital allocation mechanism, the Government’s Report raises a number of difficulties and problems with current regulations. Accordingly, stipulated in Article 44 of the State Budget Law, the Prime Minister assigns next year’s budget revenue and expenditure estimates to each ministry, ministerial-level agency, Government agency, and other central agencies. each province and centrally run city.
In Decree No. 26/2018/ND-CP dated February 28, 2018 of the Government on the Charter of organization and operation of EVN, EVN is the parent company in Vietnam National Electricity Group, organized under form of a one-member limited liability company owned by the State.
“With this regulation, EVN is not the unit directly assigned by the Prime Minister to estimate the annual state budget,” the Government stated.
In addition, according to the provisions of Article 82 of the Law on Public Investment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will be the agency to organize public investment planning, registration and assignment of public investment plans for the Project.
Pursuant to the above regulations, in accordance with the legal order, the central budget capital allocated to implement the Power Supply Project from the national grid for Con Dao district, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province will be assigned to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for implementation. The Ministry of Industry and Trade assigns affiliated units to organize bidding according to regulations (with this form, the project uses 100% central budget capital).
However, the Government Report clearly states: If according to the plan assigned to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the remaining capital compared to the total investment of VND 2,423,996 billion does not have a source to balance the Project. Besides, EVN is not a unit under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, so the Ministry of Industry and Trade cannot allocate or assign capital to EVN. Thus, the project will not be implemented immediately during this period.
The Government said that the Power Supply project from the national grid for Con Dao district, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province is a project with a specific nature, using both central budget capital and EVN’s own capital. Therefore, “to effectively use this capital source, it is necessary to consider and report to the National Assembly so that the mechanism for assigning the project’s central budget capital plan to EVN” is clearly stated in the Government’s report.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is the industry management agency, responsible for conducting inspection, supervision, and inspection to ensure that policy profiteering, group benefits, loss, and waste do not occur. The handover of assets after the project is completed is carried out in accordance with the law on public asset management and relevant legal regulations.
Therefore, the Government proposed to the National Assembly a mechanism to allow the allocation of 2,526 billion VND out of the total capital of 37,303,015 billion VND to EVN to implement the above project. At the same time, assign the Prime Minister to assign the medium-term public investment plan with central budget capital for the period 2021-2025 to EVN to implement the project. The Ministry of Industry and Trade only performs the state management function and performs the tasks assigned in the Decision approving the project investment policy.
